Saudi Arabia vs. Barbie FIGHT!

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2003-09-10 11:33am

Saudi police say Barbie dolls a threat to morality
Wednesday, September 10, 2003 Posted: 10:44 AM EDT (1444 GMT)

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Saudi Arabia's religious police have declared Barbie dolls a threat to morality, complaining that the revealing clothes of the "Jewish" toy -- already banned in the kingdom -- are offensive to Islam.

The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, as the religious police are officially known, lists the dolls on a section of its Web site devoted to items deemed offensive to the conservative Saudi interpreation of Islam.

"Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful," said a poster on the site.

The poster, plastered with pictures of Barbie in short dresses and tight pants, and with a few of her accessories, reads: "A strange request. A little girl asks her mother: Mother, I want jeans, a low-cut shirt, and a swimsuit like Barbie."

Such posters are distributed to schools and hung in the streets by the religious police, or muttawa, an independent body affiliated with the office of the Prime Minister.

Vice police officials were not available for comment Monday.

Barbie dolls in Saudi Arabia are illegal and found on the black market.
Sheik Abdulla al-Merdas, a preacher in a Riyadh mosque, said the muttawa take their anti-Barbie campaign to the shops, confiscating dolls from sellers and imposing a fine.

Although illegal, Barbies, the creation of California-based Mattel Inc., are found on the black market, where a contraband doll could cost 100 riyals (US$27) or more.

"It is no problem that little girls play with dolls. But these dolls should not have the developed body of a woman, and wear revealing clothes," al-Merdas said.

"These revealing clothes will be imprinted in their minds and they will refuse to wear the clothes we are used to as Muslims," the sheik said.

Women in Saudi Arabia must cover themselves from head to toe with a black cloak in public. They are not allowed to drive and cannot go out in public unaccompanied by a male family member.

Other items listed as violations on the site included Valentine's Day gifts, perfume bottles in the shape of women's bodies, clothing with logos that include a cross, and decorative copies of religious items -- offensive because they could be damaged and thus insult Islam.

An exhibition of all the violating items is found in the holy city of Medina, and mobile tours go around to schools and other public areas in the kingdom.

The muttawa act as a monitoring and punishing agency, propagating conservative Islamic beliefs according to the teachings of the puritan Wahhabi sect, adhered to the kingdom since the 18th century, and enforcing strict moral code.

The muttawa patrol the streets of the kingdom, preventing men from mingling with women, enforcing strict Islamic dress for women, chasing worshippers late for prayers, and punishing shop keepers who stay open during prayer hours. They sometimes work with a police officer who can enforce legal punishments on people deemed violators.

Ok, what the FUCK happened to Islamic culture that we go from the sole bastion of Greek and Western philosophy to this raging turd strom in the Middle East? I swear I pray that the oil wells dry up so that we can give this region the attention it so richly deserves - none.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-09-10 12:59pm

Oy...WTF is wrong with these people...

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2003-09-10 01:03pm

They are clearly responding to the fact that Barbie is the figurehead of Zionist puppet company Mattel, which is actively seeking to corrupt young Islamic girls into not totally covering every square inch of their bodies, thus leading a sinful life of oppression by the evil Jews that secretly run the world from their underground mole fortresses.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-09-10 01:07pm

There are no Barbie dolls in Saudi Arabia. Never!

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-09-10 02:18pm

(insert comparison to the Soviet Union)

Typhonis 1 · Post by **Typhonis 1** » 2003-09-10 02:30pm

Religious fanatics started taking over in the 18th century when the trade they had with the Orient and the West dried up becuse the Wersterners started going to the Orient on there own and had three whole new continents to play with

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2003-09-10 02:41pm

how these people ever managed to half conquer europe, Ill never know.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-09-10 02:42pm

I'm more concerned about the act that there's actually now a black market for the things. In terms of oppression level this isn't very high up the scales for the Kingdom.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-09-10 02:47pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:how these people ever managed to half conquer europe, Ill never know.

The barbarians that now dominate Islam didn't. They're nothing like the classical Muslims. The Muslim Empires at that time were actually among the most advanced and civilized nations of their time. They were also tolerant of other religions and encouraged science.

Posbi · Post by **Posbi** » 2003-09-10 03:24pm

*sighs*
What's there to say, well, it's the Saudis after all! What did you expect, them spreading love and harmony and tolerance???

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-09-10 03:40pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:how these people ever managed to half conquer europe, Ill never know.

How those guys ever managed to lose half of Europe is even more galling...

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-09-10 04:13pm

So it's okay to give money to terrorists, but heaven forbid girls play with dolls that have revealing clothing. Those guys make Dave McNamara look like a smut-peddler!

Xenophobe3691 · Post by **Xenophobe3691** » 2003-09-10 04:21pm

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi wrote:So it's okay to give money to terrorists, but heaven forbid girls play with dolls that have revealing clothing. Those guys make Dave McNamara look like a smut-peddler!

You forgot Feminist, Gay Rights Activist, Atheist...

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-09-10 04:30pm

Vorlon1701 wrote:
How those guys ever managed to lose half of Europe is even more galling...

It took a rather long time to lose it all, though half of Europe, even ignoring Russia is something of an exaggeration.

Nathan F · Post by **Nathan F** » 2003-09-10 05:10pm

Stormbringer wrote:
Enforcer Talen wrote:how these people ever managed to half conquer europe, Ill never know.
The barbarians that now dominate Islam didn't. They're nothing like the classical Muslims. The Muslim Empires at that time were actually among the most advanced and civilized nations of their time. They were also tolerant of other religions and encouraged science.

Quite correct. Take the Ottoman Empire for example. As long as the subjects swore fealty to the Emperor, they were allowed to freely practice their religions. And, as you stated, many advances in science were made under the classical Islamic world, as they were just as civilized, if not moreso in some cases, than western Europe.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-09-10 06:40pm

How the mighty have fallen. Constantine XI is laughing in his grave.

The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice

Best. Name. Ever.

StarshipTitanic · Post by **StarshipTitanic** » 2003-09-10 06:53pm

HemlockGrey wrote:How the mighty have fallen. Constantine XI is laughing in his grave.

No no, Heraclius is.

There are no Barbie dolls in Saudi Arabia. Never!

They're committing suicide at the gates!

Jadeite · Post by **Jadeite** » 2003-09-10 09:28pm

The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice

Did anyone else think of the Committe of Public Safety when they read that? Or the Mental Hygiene Police? Both are from Haven, in HH.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-09-10 09:35pm

No no, Heraclius is.

Heraclius, I suppose, is more appropriate, but I've always liked Constantine XI.

Yarmuk is at last avenged!

beyond hope · Post by **beyond hope** » 2003-09-11 05:19pm

Don't forget that Iran banned them last year (details here: the article is worth seeing just for the highly amusing Cowgirl Barbie photo that accompanies it) and apparently the Ministry of Education wanted them banned in Russia (see here and here) along with other evils of our time such as Pokemon cards, although in the second case I couldn't find an article stating that anything ever came of the effort. There's also people in the US and Canada who'll tell you that Barbie harms the impressionable minds of our young. Oh, and Mattel tried to have a Barbie banned as well (Domme Barbie

- a lookalike being sold in sex shops).

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-09-11 08:42pm

Jadeite wrote:
The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice
Did anyone else think of the Committe of Public Safety when they read that? Or the Mental Hygiene Police? Both are from Haven, in HH.

Committee of Unamerican Activities...